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We’re not much for recruiting news here, but Saturday brought a noteworthy development on that front.
Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, a wideout and athlete from Hawai’i rated as a four-star recruit by some of the major recruiting services, announced on Instagram that he is committing to the UCF Knights’ program and will sign with them on National Signing Day this Wednesday:
BLESSED !!! KNIGHT NATION LETS GO #0HANA #THANKFUL pic.twitter.com/xDlom14W4Q
— Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (@TITUS_ATIMALALA) January 31, 2021
Atimalala is a 6-1, 170 pound wideout from Campbell High School in Ewa Beach, Hawai’i, along the southern shore of O’ahu. He had offers from a number of Pac-12 and Big Ten schools, as well as Notre Dame, but chose UCF on Saturday.
Here are some highlights from his junior season in 2019:
With UCF’s wide receiver corps depleted thanks to graduations, early departures and transfers, Atimalala provides a big, fast target for Dillon Gabriel to throw to in 2021, should he not redshirt (and, given the state of the wide receiver room, he likely would not).
Gabriel and OL Lokahi Pauloe were justifiably ecstatic over the commitment of their fellow statesman:
1 Down, 2 More to Go !!! LFG!! And we’re just getting started!!! #808 #JL #SC pic.twitter.com/I7E00EPNFs
— DG (@_dillongabriel_) January 30, 2021
There is little doubt that Gabriel had a significant influence on Atimalala’s decision. There is also this interesting tidbit from Brandon Helwig of UCFSports.com:
“Coach (Heupel) called us and asked if I wanted to come over to Tennessee. We really had to think it through and my dad said that we committed to UCF for a reason so let’s not change that. I agree with him. That’s my dad and so we’re rolling. UCF it is.”https://t.co/qZTGxmxfbu
— Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) January 31, 2021
The fact is that UCF, who at this moment does not have a head coach, secured the commitment of a four-star recruit over Notre Dame and even their former head coach despite having no head coach of their own.
National Signing Day is this Wednesday, February 3rd.